Article-hanger.



M. E. BUTCHER.

ARTICLE HANGER.

APPLICATloN man Aue.21. 1915.

Patented. Feb. 22, 1916.

f. e wlw@ mm NN MARY ELIZABETH BUTCHER, 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS ARTICLE-HANGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten reb. 22, wie.

Application filed August 21, 1915. Serial No. 46,677.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARY ELIZABETH BU'rCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Article-Hangers, of which the followlng is a specification, lreference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention provides a hanger of novel yform arranged to be hung on closet-doors, inside of closets, on walls, and elsewhere, for supporting garments, footwear, umbrellas, canes, household articles'hand-bags, etc. The main or supporting member of the hanger is a flexible strip, which can be wound or folded into compact form, thus making the article convenient to be taken by travelers for use in state-rooms, sleepingcars, tents, and other places.

It is an object ofthe invention to provide an article of this kind in which the articleholding members are arranged in a novel manner, and which can be used either in a horizontal or suspended position.

When read in connection with the description herein, the details of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, wherein embodiments of the invention are disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

Vhile the embodiments disclosed now are considered preferable ones, it is to be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of the claims, as it is apparent that changes within the limits of the claims can be made without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention.

Like reference-characters refer to corresponding parts in the views of the draw` ng,

, of which- Figure 1 is a view of one form of the invention suspended; Fig. 2 is a view of another form of the invention suspended; Fig. 8 is a view of the form shown by Fig. 2 as is use in a horizontal position; Fig. 4 is a view of still another form of the invention particularly adapted for use in a horizontal position; Fig. 5 is a view of one of the article-supporting members used on the form shown by Fig. l; Fig. 6 isa view of one ofthe article-supporti ng members used on the form shown by Figs. 2 and 3; and Fig. 7 is a View of one of the article-supporting members used on the form shown by Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 8 designates a comparatively narrow strip of flexible material, such as tape. In all forms herein sho-wn, the strip is provided at one end with a hook 9 arranged for engagement with molding, a fixed hook, or any other suitable part, for suspending the device; and at the other end-the end that is the lower when the device is suspended for use-the strip is provided with a ring 10. The strip 8 carries at suitable intervals article-supporting members arranged to have hung thereon the articles to be taken care of.

In the form shown by Fig. 1, article-supporting members 11 as shown by Fig. 5 are used. Each of these members is made of a length of wire, pointed at one end and bent in that end portion to forma hook 11, a shank 1lb extends therefrom, and near the end of the shank the wire is bent substantially at right angles to the shank as a short arm 11, which is formed with a head 11d. The members 11 are attached to the strip 8 each by passing the pointed end through the material from one side at one place and back through the material at another place and then drawing the strip taut, so that the hook 11a projects from the strip and thev member is prevented from becoming disconnected from the strip by the short arm 11 and the head 11d. Any desired number of these hooks thus can be placed on the support-strip 8 at intervals to meet the demands to be made upon the device, and while in use the hooks, or any of them, may be removed and attached at dierent places to meet varying needs.

Each of hooks l2 shown by Fig. 6 and used on the form of the invention shown by Figs. 2 and 3 is made of a length of wire bent upon itself midway of its ends to form a doubled length and then bent to form a hook proper'12a, from which continues upwardly a shank portion 12b. In the upper end portion, each strand of wire is bent substantially at right angles to the plane of extension of hook portion 12a, whereby laterally-extending attaching-arms 12c constituting a head, are provided. Each of the members 12 is attached to strip 8 by passing through a perforation therein prefer# ably midway between its margins, the arms 12c preventing the member from passing entirely through the material of the strip and becoming disengaged therefrom. If desired, in order to prevent the hooks from passing backwardly through the strip 8 and thus becoming detached while the device is loose as while not in use or hung, the material of the strip may be brought together on each side of the arms 12c and secured by stitching 12d, whereby loops 12e enveloping the arms are formed.

In the form of the invention shown by Fig. 4, the strip 8 is passed through the eyes of eye-hooks 13, which are slidable on the strip to any positions desired for suspending the device and for suspending articles thereon.

When the form of the invention shown by Fig. l is to be used, it is suspended by engaging its hooks 9 with a. fixed support, and articles may be hung on hooks 1l in any desired manner, either by passing loops, such as found on garments and shoes, thereover, or, in the case of those articles that are perforated easily, by passing the pointed ends of the hooks therethrough. The form shown by Figs. 2 and 3 may be suspended and used in a manner similar to that of Fig. l, except that the ends of the hooks are not sharp enough to perforate articles ordinarily ,hung on such devices; or it may be hung in a substantially horizontal position, as shown by Fig. 3, by attaching the hook 9 at one end and the ring 10 at the other end to fixed supports, as, for example, to hooks usually found in a closet. When the hangers are suspended in a vertical position, the rings at the lower ends thereof may be used to hold canes, umbrellas, or the like. The form shown by Fig. 4 is designed particularly for hanging in a substantially horizontal position. It may be held in such position by attaching its hook 9 and ring 10 to fixed hooks or other'suitable supports, it may be sup ported at its ends and intermediate its ends by engagin some of its hooks 13 over the edge of suc a part as a shelf leaving other of its hooks 13 for holding garments or other articles, the hooks for both purposes being moved along the strip 8 to the positions required, or the strip 8 may be strung over a series of fixed hooks and secured at its ends by the hook 9 and ring 10, leaving all of the hooks 13 dangling and available for the hanging of articles thereon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. An article-hanger comprising a narrow strip of iiexible material having means of suspension at one end, and an article-supporting member formed of a length of wire bent upon itself intermediate its ends and bent to form a hook proper, a shank extending therefrom, and each strand of wire being bent laterally at the end of the shank to provide an arm, said member being disposed through said strip with its arms holding it thereon.

2. An articlehanger comprising a narrow strip of flexible material having means of suspension at one end, and an article-supporting member formed with a hook in one end portion and laterally-extending arms at the other end, said member being disposed through said strip and the material of the strip being secured together at each side `of the arms whereby there is formed a loop of the material enveloping the arms.

In` testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARY ELIZABETH BUTCHER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES BU'roHER, ARCHIBALD R. GRAUsTEIN. 

